These three are the gold standard for fans: “The Dark Knight,” Tobey Maguire’s three “Spider-Man” flicks and Downey’s two “Iron Man” movies are the six top-grossing superhero adventures ever.

Add in solid receipts for solo turns of “Avengers” co-stars Chris Hemsworth in “Thor” and Chris Evans in “Captain America: The First Avenger” — plus the lure of a new incarnation of the Incredible Hulk by Mark Ruffalo in “Avengers” — and summer’s superhero meter is off the charts.

“’The Avengers’ is literally one of the first books I followed regularly. ... Some of the work that was done in there was really groundbreaking and really epic,” said “The Avengers” writer-director Joss Whedon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”).

“It’s great fun to take characters that you are so invested in, because you grew up with them, and get to put words in their mouths and figure out what they’re going to be doing with their lives for a while.

Of course, there’s plenty to fill in the gaps between superhero sagas.

Here’s a look at other summer highlights (opening dates subject to change):

May

✉“Battleship”: Taylor Kitsch and Liam Neeson are in the Navy now as sailors take on inhuman invaders in an action tale inspired by the game. (May 18)

✉“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”: Those classy Brits put some sophistication into summer with a tale of UK retirees in India. With Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith and Tom Wilkinson. (Opens Friday in limited release)

✉“Chernobyl Diaries”: Six rookie tourists mistakenly visit the site of the nuclear disaster and find unexpected horrors in the abandoned place. (May 25)

✉“Dark Shadows”: We bet the latest reunion of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton will bring some fresh bite to vampires as they adapt the creepy TV soap opera featuring a 200-year-old blood-sucker. (May 11)

✉“The Dictator”: Sacha Baron Cohen outdoes Castro with his wild beard in this comedy about a tyrant battling for untruth, injustice and the totalitarian way. (May 11)

✉“Men in Black 3”: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones return to fight aliens in a time-traveling action comedy that adds Josh Brolin as the young version of Jones’ Agent K. Nice casting. (May 25)

✉“What to Expect When You’re Expecting”: Everyone’s in a family way with an ensemble tale about pending parenthood that features Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks and Dennis Quaid. (May 18)

June

✉“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”: Can’t wait for Steven Spielberg’s upcoming biopic “Lincoln”? Then catch the 16th president (Benjamin Walker) as he emancipates the land from blood-suckers. (June 22)

✉“Brave”: A Scottish lass (voiced by Kelly Macdonald) must undo the chaos her defiance has unleashed on her kingdom in the latest from the animation maestros at Pixar. (June 22)

✉“Rock of Ages”: Journey and REO Speedwagon ride again in a musical romance featuring old rock tunes and a cast that includes Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Mary J. Blige, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Julianne Hough. (June 15)

✉“Snow White and the Huntsman”: Kristen Stewart’s the fiercest in the land as she teams with a tough guy (Chris Hemsworth) to battle an evil queen (Charlize Theron). (June 1)

✉“That’s My Boy”: Adam Sandler tries to grow up as a bad dad hoping to make things right with his estranged grown son (Andy Samberg). (June 15)

✉“To Rome with Love”: Woody Allen woos Italy and appears on-screen for the first time in years with an ensemble romance co-starring Penelope Cruz, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni and Ellen Page. (June 22 in limited release)

✉“Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection”: Filmmaker Perry reprises his role as saucy grandma Madea, who takes in the family of a CFO (Eugene Levy) in witness protection. (June 29)

July

✉“Ice Age: Continental Drift”: For extinct species, these cartoon critters sure are survivors. Ray Romano and his voice co-stars are back with another prehistoric comedy. (July 13)

✉“Katy Perry: Part of Me”: The pop superstar gets the 3-D treatment in a music documentary featuring performances and behind-the-scenes access. (July 4)

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James Madison, "Father of the Constitution" and chief author (1794): ""I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents."